Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

asphodel

/ˈæsfədɛl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.70 in modern English

Syllables: as-pho-del
IPA: /ˈæsfədɛl/

14

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Any of the flowering plants of the family Asphodelaceae, especially Asphodelus ramosus and Asphodelus albus; the flower of these plants.

Uncountable

noun

The flower said to carpet Hades, and a favorite food of the dead.

Uncountable

name

A former township in Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada, merged into Asphodel-Norwood township in 1998.

Example Sentences

"Sometimes I lost track of them and had to hunt round in a circle, thrusting through sharp-scented bushes, scratching myself on various plants which were still new to me: resinaceous rock-roses, juniper, ilex, yellow and white asphodel [translating asphodèles]."
"Her hand he seis'd, and to a shadie bank, Thick overhead with verdant roof imbowr'd He led her nothing loath; Flours were the Couch, Pansies, and Violets, and Asphodel, And Hyacinth, Earths freshest softest lap."

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin asphodelus, from Ancient Greek ἀσφόδελος (asphódelos). Doublet of daffodil.

Origin

Source language: Ancient Greek

Word Breakdown

Root: ἀσφόδελος

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

asphodels (plural)

Phrases

bog asphodel false asphodel

Questions

How do you pronounce asphodel?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæsfədɛl/.
What does asphodel mean?: Any of the flowering plants of the family Asphodelaceae, especially Asphodelus ramosus and Asphodelus albus; the flower of these plants.
Where does asphodel come from?: It is traced to Ancient Greek.

How to pronounce asphodel

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “asphodel”.
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